Automatic dishwashers for household use have a number of sub-cycles comprising liquid fill, wash or rinse spray and drain. There may be a number of such sub-cycles in each machine cycle which can include RINSE-ONLY to HEAVY-WASH. Typically a flow control washer is included in the fill valve so that a selected number of liters of liquid are added to the dishwasher in a timed fill sub-cycle. However, because of variation in fill valves, water pressure, pump performance, AC line voltage, dishwasher installation and others, more than an optimum amount of liquid for circulation pump operation is typically present in each sub-cycle to provide sufficient liquid under worst case conditions. Fill sub-cycles that add excess liquid waste hot water, dilute detergent concentration and reduce the number of liquid passes through the filter or soil separator.